Cold Weather

solarfatcat
solarfatcat Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Hello. A couple of questions. Im in NY where the temps can go well below 0 in the winter. I probably won't be using my solar power for most of the winter and was planning on storing my battery inside where its heated. Its a 12 volt Excide NG-24 Deep cycle battery. The kind that you have to add water to. My question is, is it ok to store this battery inside ( with nothing hooked up to it ), or would it be ok to leave it outside( fully charged, but not having any panels charging it ) ? Also, any advice on clearing snow from panels without damaging or scratching them ? Thanks for all the help.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Cold Weather

    Zero is warm where I live. Even in Fahrenheit. :p

    You can store the battery inside without any charging going to it, but you'd probably be better off putting it in the garage and occasionally (like once a month) give it a little boost charge.

    Or you can leave it hooked up to panels and controller all Winter and let that take care of it. I do.

    As for clearing snow off panels, the method used in the Great White North here is to tilt them up to a proper Winter angle; snow doesn't stick on near vertical glass. If tilting isn't possible and you need to clear them it becomes a matter of accessibility. They're glass; treat them as such. Soft broom to push the white stuff away. Snowbrush like you use on the car.

    But I like tilting them best as it prevents snow build-up in the first place. :D
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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Cold Weather

    A fully charged FLA battery won't freeze at least until -40. Even a 1/2 charged battery wil not freeze until below zero. I would leave them be, wall mount a panel and leave them on float. A battery will self discharge significantly over the months.

    Clearing snow is as simple as giving the a sweep. If you expose even a small portion of the panel, even at sub zero temps, the panel will warm and self clean eventually. Ice and freezing rain is a different story. I use a plastic scraper if I have been away and the panels are covered and the snow is frozen on the glass. (Work gently, but the glass is tempered so you are not going to break it unless you get crazy trying to chip the ice). Like I said, expose a bit let the sun warm the panel and the ice will slide right off.

    Vertical mount is better,,, and you are not concerned with efficiency,, just getting some charge in occasionally. Also, charging a battery will cause it to warm slightly, further preventing freezing. You could consider building a foam insulated battery box, or put it in a cooler.


    Tony
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  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Cold Weather

    ln, pa I use a long 16 ft. extended aluminum pole I bought at home depot with a squege that is used for cleaning glass. Works preety well here. :Dsolarvic:D
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Cold Weather

    Here in Nova Scotia, I mount mine vertically for Winter. Yes it's true, they're not at exactly the correct angle, but the fact that snow cannot build up on them, more than offsets any losses from not being perfectly angled, plus in the vertical position, they also get hit with light reflecting off snow covered ground, which would not happen nearly as much if they were tilted up. Before I started positioning them vertically for winter, it was an almost daily pain in the butt trying to keep the snow off them. Sometimes they needed to be cleaned several times a day, depending on the weather.
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  • Fullpower
    Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
    #6
    Cold Weather

    A fully charged battery wont freeze ( in New York State)
    In cold temperatures, the self-discharge rate drops very low, so (fully charged) batteries store BETTER and keep their charge LONGER in cold temperature.
    As long as you can be sure the battery has attained full charge, Specific Gravity at or above 1.265, you can leave it outside safely.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: Cold Weather

    i am wondering the circumstances of where the batteries are now would be.:confused: i hope they are covered as excess sun would heat them up and a good downpour could overfill the cells in some batteries. i am leading up to you possibly leaving them where they are. if the pvs are far enough off of the ground (or above any subsurface) to allow for some snow to run off and given extra tilt then your batteries should do fine even in your area.
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  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Cold Weather

    Yup, leave them outside and hooked up.
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
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  • solarfatcat
    solarfatcat Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭
    #9
    Re: Cold Weather

    Thanks for all of your responces. I leave the battery and charge controller in a plastic bin. Its stored outdoors and out of direct sunlight. Its also vented. As of now I have my (2) 60 watt panels disconnected and indoors. I currently have a 15w panel w/charge controller hooked up to the battery to keep it maintained throughout the winter. Im often away, and I dont have the panels mounted to anything yet. Next year I'll have them mounted and more secure, perhaps more panels. This solar stuff is addicting !
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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: Cold Weather

    Your 15 watts of PV is barely going to be able to keep ahead of self discharge.

    T
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  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: Cold Weather
    icarus wrote: »
    Your 15 watts of PV is barely going to be able to keep ahead of self discharge.

    If this were summer time I would agree with you, but over the winter it will be more than enough. Self-discharge is 1/3 of the amount in cold temps that it would be in warm temps.
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
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